Shank-stiffener for boots or shoes



(NoModel.)

' J. C. DAGGETT.

SHANK STIPFBNER POR BOOTS 0R SHGES.

No. 367,505. A Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

N. PETERS, Mommgngmr. wnhingtpn. l)4 C.

have been made from 4narrow UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.N

4JOHN O. DAGGETT, OF NEPONSET, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE I'I. VOOD 8s CO., OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHANK-STIFFENER FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming pare of Letters Patent No. 367,505, dated. August2, 1887.

Application filed November Q6, lSzG. Serial No. 219,903.

To LZZ wwbm may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN C. DAGGETT, a citi zen of the United States,residing at Neponset, inthe county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iu ShankStiffeners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear,and exact description of the'invention, such as will enable othersskilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters orgures of reference marked thereomwhich form a part ofthis specification.l This invention pertains to spring-Shanks7 so called, for boots orshoes, in which a thin metallic plate or shank-stiffcner is employed,and is secured upon the sole to give greater elasticity and strength tothe latter at this particular pointthe shank. Furthermore, it preservesthe form of the shoe and renders the latter more durable.

My invention consists in the particular form of the shankvstiffener andin the method of preparing the sole to receive it, whereby the two areunited to form a spring-shank as an entirety without the aid of tacks,rivets, or other similar fastening devices now employed.

In the drawings accompanying this specilication, Figurel representsaperspective view of a shank stifl'ener embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 isa plan, and Fig. 3 is avertical longitudinal section, of ashank-stiffener as applied to a sole of a boot or shoe. Fig. 4 is amodified form of the same.

IIitherto the metallic plates orstitfeners employed in the manufactureof boots or shoes provided with spring -shanks,77 so called, strips ofthin steel eut into pieces of the requisite length. Such pieceshavegenerally been squared at the ends, which are pierced to receive thefastening device driven into theleather to holdthem in position.

There are some objections to this mode of aftixing the shank-stiffeneror spring-plate to the shank of the boot or shoe sole, as when thelatter is unused the plate or sti fener conforms to and snugly restsagainst the shank, and it is in this position when the fastening devicesare driven in,

(No model .l

VIt is evident that when the shoe is in use the weight of the wearertends to flatten the stiffener and force its ends outwardly, or toincrease the distance then existing between said extremities. Thismovement tends to shear oft" and break or tear the fastenings out orbring then into such a position as to interfere with and chafe the foot.To obviate some of these existing defects and to diminish the cost ofconstructing as well as that of securing said springstilfener to theshank of a boot or shoe, I proceed as follows:

From a narrow band or ribbon of steel or other analogous material I cutoft pieces of a suitable length to form the spring-stiffener A.

This shank-stiffener, in lieu of being squared y 'at the ends andpierced with one or more holes, is pointed at the ends, preferably V-shaped and intact, as shown at a a.. Moreover, I propose to do away withthe use of metallic fastenings, and hence form in the under side of thesole B, upon the shank portion C, two cuts, b b, obliquely disposed withrespect to the surface ot' said sole, as shown, and longitudinally ofthelatter. The distaucebetween these cuts b b upon the surface of the soleis always less than the extreme length of the shank-stiffener, but mayvary as circumstances require. Having extended these cuts (oppositel ydisposed) a proper distance downwardly into the substance of the sole,the latter is bent slightly to open the cuts b b, when thespringstiffener A is forcibly compressed, its ends brought together, andwhen properly aligned with the cuts said stiiener is released and theends at once enter the cuts b b, formed in the shank of the sole, whilethe sharp V-shaped extremities ccc penetrate beyond, as the case may be,dependent upon the depth of the cuts. Thus the stiffcner A is secured toand forms part of the sole, while the tendency of the spring tostraighten is resisted by the strength of the material which composesthe sole and which likewise holds it in place.

In Fig. 4: is shown a modified form of the plate A, in which the ends aa are slightly bent or turned up, to thereby conform more nearly withthe direction of the cuts b b in the shank C. Thus when the weight ofthe wearer is brought upon the stiffcner A the extremities IOO Ytopierce and enter the leather of the latter tend to enter the sole andhold the same more rnily; hence several prominent advantages accrue bythis method of afXing the springstitf'enerA to the sole. First, nofastening devices of metal are required, and a simple blank is used, noholes being needed; secondly, the ends a a are free to move, While thepointed V-shaped extremities are adapted when the weight of the weareris brought upon the shoe and the spring flattened, and, lastly, it willbe evident that a spring-shank constructed in this manner will actmoreefciently and last longer, since the stiffener, though confined, isfree to move as circumstances require, and yet forms an integral portionofthe springshank.

Iclaimi l. A shank stiffener consistingY of a flat JOHN C. DAGGETT.

Vitnesses:

.HARRY R. BARTLETT, VILLIAM H. BARNES?.

